This thesis covers the topic of juvenile diversion with respect to keeping juveniles from progressing further into the justice system as well as keeping them out of prison. It deals with a number of areas. The first is diversion before an offence has been committed - prevention. Here a number of recommendations are made with respect to education of the child and the community in order to make prevention a priority when new diversion programmes are considered and introduced. The second area is that of diversion after the offence has taken place. This deals with diversion by the police at the moment of apprehension and recommends the introduction of cautions as a diversionary measure. The third aspect that is considered is diversion after the juvenile has been arrested and/or charged. The establishment of Reception and Assessment Centres and the setting up of Family Group Conferences are especially highlighted. The detention of the child until his/her trial is also investigated and it is concluded that this is an unnecessary measure except in extreme circumstances. The progression of the child's case to court is the fifth area considered. Here, recommendations are made as to the necessity for the proper training of court personnel and the need for the introduction of court imposed diversionary programmes before sentencing. With respect to diversion after the child has been found guilty, a number of suggestions are made as to the introduction of new sentencing options and new or improved institutions. Finally, recent reforms are discussed. The conclusion reached is that juveniles should not be imprisoned except in the most extreme cases, and that diversion programmes should be instituted as soon as possible as the basis of SouthAfrica's juvenile justice system. It is deemed essential that diversion begins with prevention and continues until sentencing is completed, and that all children are diverted unless this is not possible.

M.A. / The aim of the thesis is to illustrate the process of developing a psychoeducational program as part of the rehabilitation and development of juvenile delinquents, through the effective use of music, art and dancing in a therapeutic context. The rationale of the program is to give delinquents the psychological freedom to express emotions in a functional and constructive way. Delinquents are described by Thorpe, Smith, Green, & Paley (1980) as socially and emotionally deprived. Art, music and drama has been shown to be not only a diagnostic tool, but also as being successful in therapy with children with behavioural problems, such CHAPTER 1 - BACKGROUND AND ORIENTATION as delinquency (Epanchin & Paul, 1987). Margaret Naumberg (1983, in Epanchin & Paul, 1987), a pioneer in art therapy in America, describes art as a way to bring clarity and order to mixed or poorly understood feelings. The focus of the following chapters will be on the explanatory models of delinquency, developments in the treatment of delinquency, as well as the process followed in developing the expressionistic program. Some of the factors influencing and enhancing the positive use of music, art and drama will also be given. The expressionistic program will be included in appendix A. It is hoped that this development will inspire the further development and use of the arts in the therapeutic and rehabilitation process.

Bibliography: pages 92-98. / Using a systems theoretical orientation the objective of this study was to implement a strategic approach for psychotherapeutic intervention with six male institutionalized white adolescents at a local custodial school. It was hypothesized that a strategic approach would control absconding for the duration of the investigation. Surveys of the literature were undertaken to provide the background to psychotherapeutic intervention with adolescents in custodial institutions, strategic psychotherapy and absconding. Absconding was selected as the condition for evaluating the interventions because it was an unambiguous indicator of school-based recidivism, viz., the adolescent was either on the property or he was not. The study was structured as a design-and-demonstrate investigation. Audiotape recordings were made during the sessions. Transcriptions of characteristic procedures and sequences of the strategic approach to psychotherapeutic intervention were presented, inter alia, paradoxes, reframing, metaphors, rituals, the declaration of therapeutic impotence. Evaluation of the interventions was based on follow-up interviews with the subjects and a qualitative analysis of risk of absconding aver the course of the intervention process. At the end of the investigation there was some evidence which suggested that five out of the six subjects were not as committed to absconding as they had claimed to be at the beginning of the study. The design of the study did not allow for the conclusion that the strategic approach for controlling absconding was of greater merit than any other form of intervention or no intervention at all. It was noted, however, that twelve of the eighteen potential subjects for the study indicated that they would abscond as soon as the opportunity arose. Therefore it was recommended that the issue of absconding be given priority in therapy on the admission of each new pupil. Given a strategic approach to addressing the issue of absconding in therapy, attention was drawn to a major aim of this type of intervention, viz., to generate a sense of personal autonomy. Hence a further recommendation was that once a pupil had made a commitment not to abscond, his sense of autonomy would need to be supported by an expeditious transfer to one of the more open hostels.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Focusing on the social-psychological level, where the focus is on negative relationships with others, Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) is internationally one of the most widely employed criminological theories explaining the onset and manifestation of youth offending. GST contends that youth are pressured into criminal behaviour by the negative affective states generated by negative relationships, which are characteristically defined as either aversive or not from the perspective of the youth; where especially anger motivates the youth to engage in maladaptive behaviour, resulting in maladaptive coping. Applying data from 81 incarcerated youth from three correctional centres located in the Western Cape province of South Africa, the study focussed on the criminogenic effects of four variables to explain youth offending under the auspices of GST: self-control (using the Self-Control Schedule [SCS]), coping (using the Coping Strategy Indicator [CSI]), perceived social support (using the Social Support Appraisal scale [SSA]) and anger (using the State-Trait Anger Scale [STAS]). Results displayed significant positive correlations between self-control and the use of problem-solving coping, followed by significant positive correlations between self-control and perceived social support from family members, significant positive correlations between anger and the use of avoidant coping, as well as significant positive correlations between self-control and the use of avoidant coping. The results furthermore displayed significant negative correlations between anger and self-control, followed by significant negative correlations between anger and perceived social support from family members and friends respectively. In addition, the problem-solving coping strategy emerged as a significant positive predictor of self-control, whereas the avoidant coping strategy emerged as a significant positive predictor of anger. Anger, however, emerged as a significant negative predictor of self-control, where the social support-seeking coping strategy emerged as a significant negative predictor of perceived social support from family members. Support for the possible application of Agnew’s GST to the context of South Africa was found and inferences made for the implications for intervention, where it was suggested that psychologists and social workers working with the rehabilitation of youth offenders consider the application of multisystem therapy (MST) with youth offenders, as MST aims to influence maladaptive behaviour by changing key aspects of the youth’s social context in ways that promote pro-social behaviour rather than maladaptive behaviour. The study concluded with a recommendation for further longitudinal research to gain a better understanding of the strain-crime relationship that influence youth to engage in maladaptive behaviour, as is mentioned in GST literature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met fokus op die sosiaal-sielkundige vlak, veral op negatiewe verhoudings met ander, word Agnew se Algemene Spanningsteorie (AST) internasionaal as een van die mees gebruikte kriminologiese teorieë beskou, wat die ontstaan en die verskyning van jeugmisdaad verduidelik. AST beweer dat jeug druk ervaar om deel te neem aan kriminele gedrag as gevolg van die negatiewe affektiewe toestande wat deur negatiewe verhoudings bepaal word, wat kenmerkend gedefinieer word as óf negatief of nie uit die perspektief van die jeug; waar veral woede die jeug motiveer om betrokke te raak by wanaangepaste gedrag, wat lei tot wanaangepaste omgaan. Deur die toepassing van data van 81 jeuggevangenes van drie korrektiewe sentrums geleë in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika, het die studie gefokus op die kriminogeniese gevolge van vier veranderlikes wat jeugmisdaad onder leiding van AST verduidelik: selfbeheer (met behulp van die Selfbeheer Skedule [SCS]), omgaan (met behulp van die Omgaanstrategieskaal [CSI]), waargenome sosiale ondersteuning (met behulp van die Sosiale Ondersteuning Erkenningskaal [SSA]) en woede (met behulp van die State-Trait Woedeskaal [STAS]). Resultate vertoon beduidende positiewe korrelasie tussen selfbeheer en die gebruik van probleemoplossingsomgaan, gevolg deur 'n beduidende positiewe korrelasie tussen selfbeheer en vermeende sosiale ondersteuning van familielede, 'n beduidende positiewe korrelasie tussen woede en die gebruik van vermydingsomgaan, sowel as 'n beduidende positiewe korrelasie tussen selfbeheer en die gebruik van vermydingsomgaan. Die resultate vertoon verder 'n beduidende negatiewe korrelasie tussen woede en selfbeheer, gevolg deur 'n beduidende negatiewe korrelasie tussen woede en vermeende sosiale ondersteuning van familielede en vriende onderskeidelik, sowel as tussen waargenome sosiale ondersteuning van familielede en die gebruik van sosiale ondersteuningsoekende omgaan. Verder, met die regressie-ontleding het probleemoplossingsomgaan na vore gekom as 'n beduidende positiewe voorspeller van selfbeheer, terwyl vermydingsomgaan na vore gekom as 'n beduidende positiewe voorspeller van woede. Woede het egter na vore gekom as 'n beduidende negatiewe voorspeller van selfbeheer, waar die sosiale ondersteuningsomgaan na vore gekom het as 'n beduidende negatiewe voorspeller van waargenome sosiale ondersteuning van familielede. Ondersteuning vir die moontlike toepassing van Agnew se AST in die konteks van Suid-Afrika was gevind en afleidings gemaak vir die implikasies vir ingryping, waar dit voorgestel word dat sielkundiges of sosiale werkers, wat met die rehabilitasie van jeugmisdadigers werk, gebruik maak van multi-sisteem terapie (MST), aangesien MST die doel het om wanaangepaste gedrag te beïnvloed deur die verandering van die belangrikste aspekte van die jeug se sosiale konteks op maniere wat pro-sosiale gedrag, eerder as wanaangepaste gedrag, bevorder. Die studie het afgesluit met die voorstel dat verdere longitudinale navorsing aanbeveel word om 'n beter begrip van die spanning-misdaad verhouding te kry wat 'n invloed speel op jeug betrokkenheid by wanaangepaste gedrag, soos genoem in AST literatuur.

M.Phil. / This is a study that seeks to understand what makes two children raised in the same crime and violence ridden environment grow to be different, one actually becoming angry and resentful and thus ending up in prison, having committed serious crime, the other one transcending his adversity and becoming an admirable leader in his community. The exploration of contributory factors, leading young people to get involved in violent behaviour is examined and protective elements in the social environment that enabled those to transcend their adversity are also explored. The stories of juvenile prisoners about their lives provide insight into how the family prepares the ground for violent behaviour. The study found from focus groups with high school learners that inner strength, positive self- esteem and focusing on target goals play a critical role in helping young people overcome their challenges, this confirms earlier research in longitudinal studies. The findings will help in the development of intervention programmes based on the experiences of the South African youths. It is also envisaged that this will enable the voices of young people to be heard.

The aim of the study was to explore and describe causes of re-offending and the management’s perspective of the effectiveness of programmes being implemented at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in dealing with re-offenders. Youth re-offending involves breaking of the law and crime. Offending if repeated then develops to be re-offending which is the breaking of the law more than once and this is a dilemma in South Africa as the increase of crime is a challenging issue. A qualitative approach was utilized following an exploratory, descriptive research design as the researcher sought to understand the perspective of the managers at Nerina regarding causes of re-offending and the effectiveness of the intervention programmes aimed at addressing this phenomenon. The researcher conducted face to face interviews with the mangers at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre. For the purpose of this study the population was the total complement of the management staff at the One Stop Youth Justice Centre, this included the personnel of the departments of Justice, Social Development, and South African Police Service who are all involved in rendering services at Nerina. The method of data collection was one on one semi structured interviews and data analysis undertaken according to the steps for qualitative data analysis as proposed by Tesch in Creswell (1994). Guba’s model (Krefting, 1991) was employed for assessing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data. Some of the important findings included the causes of re-offending which included loss of parents, alcohol and drug abuse, inadequate parent role, role of peers and inadequate facilities. Further more from the study suggestions for improving programmes at the One Stop Youth Justice Center were discussed and these include involvement of community, involve more role players, training staff and increasing staff.

Gangs exist as metaphors of the societies in which they are embedded and are powerful, hence the need is great for an ecologically powerful model and a collation of a picture about gangs and gang life as described by knowledgeable individuals. With so much literature and knowledgeable individuals at hand to provide insight into the problem, the rationale for this study comes forth in the form of taking all this knowledge and insight and creating a collation of a picture of gangs as it is understood by those who study them and by those who have been confronted with them. The theoretical framework is a social constructionist cybernetic epistemology. One-on-one interviews were conducted with knowledgeable sources and audio-visual material assisted in understanding the context of gangs better. A hermeneutic analysis was used. The interview transcripts from the participants were analysed and themed according to a thematic network analysis and linked with available literature. These themes were then used to represent a Time Cable of gangs. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Gangs exist as metaphors of the societies in which they are embedded and are powerful, hence the need is great for an ecologically powerful model and a collation of a picture about gangs and gang life as described by knowledgeable individuals. With so much literature and knowledgeable individuals at hand to provide insight into the problem, the rationale for this study comes forth in the form of taking all this knowledge and insight and creating a collation of a picture of gangs as it is understood by those who study them and by those who have been confronted with them. The theoretical framework is a social constructionist cybernetic epistemology. One-on-one interviews were conducted with knowledgeable sources and audio-visual material assisted in understanding the context of gangs better. A hermeneutic analysis was used. The interview transcripts from the participants were analysed and themed according to a thematic network analysis and linked with available literature. These themes were then used to represent a Time Cable of gangs. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

A qualitative research design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was employed in order to understand and describe the factors that predispose children to be in conflict with the law and to develop guidelines to support these children. The data-collection techniques were individual semi-structured interviews and field notes. The sample consisted of eight (8) children who volunteered to be interviewed. The theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was the factors that predispose children to break the law. Five categories were identified in this theme, namely * Personal factors * Family factors * Community factors * Police service factors and * Education factors It is recommended that all the institutions involved in the provision and maintenance of the child's mental health be involved in the implementation of the guidelines. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Young people in South Africa are increasingly turning to crime. The majority of those who fall into this trap are between the ages of twelve and eighteen years. According to the Human Rights Watch World Report on Children' Rights, 'in South Africa despite a November 1997 national program intended to keep children out of prisons, the Minister of Welfare reported in May 1998, that approximately 1,000 children were still detained in prisons with adults', (HRW 2005:3). This idea is even more disturbing if one considers the impact of rehabilitation in prison and how young people will be equipped to become hardened criminals through institutionalization. The focus of the paper will be on the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents in the Heidedal community. Therefore it is important to find out what causes the child to become deviant and to help the child to deal with it. The National Institute of Crime Rehabilitation of Offenders (NICRO), have very good programs for the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents. Unfortunately, these programs do not reach everyone in need, due to the fact that Heidedal does not fall into the geographical area that is being covered by NICRO. Therefore, if we want to help the children in the Heidedal community, the church and society need to get involved in the implementation of rehabilitation programs. The research project will therefore focus on proposing an adapted model, which may be used by the church in an effort to help in the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents within the Heidedal community. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.